The Legend of Zelda: The Drowning of Hyrule
by Ragnarok2
Summary: A re-write of my old Zelda story with a new ending. It's a prequel to Wind Waker.
1. Nightmares

The Legend of Zelda: The Flooding of Hyrule

_Immediately Following Ocarina of Time_

Familiar ground. The castle walls loomed above his head as he stepped onto the dewy ground. The grass was springy beneath his feet, bouncing as he walked, and snapping back into his place once his feet had left. The air smelled damp, like springtime after a shower. The flowers were just blooming and the scent of roses, daisies, and numerous other flowers within the garden floated in the gentle breeze. The boy walked forward with a grim look of fear etched onto his face as he approached the window and the solitary figure before it. The girl was concentrating on peering through the window into the chamber beyond; she didn't notice his approach. Only when his heels clicked on the stone steps did she turn and gasp. The boy's fairy hid in his hat almost immediately.

"Link?" The girl asked, a look of fear slightly aflame in her eyes. The boy only nodded, only his expression had changed from fearful to sad, almost tearful. It was a face that showed the burden of painful memories long past. In fact, the hardship the two had faced together was one that was not to be forgotten, even through the passage of time.

"Link, I'm so sorry…for everything. I know what I did was wrong but I had no choice. I was a fool, and I beg your forgiveness." The girl pleaded, nearly bursting into tears herself. Only her strength kept her from throwing herself at him and breaking down entirely. Instead, she studied his reaction, and saw none. He seemed as if he had not heard her speak.

"I've been having dreams again Zelda, the same dreams I had before…before he came. I don't know exactly what they're telling me but I know what it must mean. It means he's returned. I don't know how, but I know that for whatever reason, the seal of the gods was broken and he has been released." Link spoke as if Zelda had not apologized. He either chose to ignore the apology or to accept it silently. Whatever the case, Zelda chose to disregard his lack of acknowledgement and instead focus on what words he uttered.

"Him? But, how can that be? He was sealed away after…what happened before. The gods have never failed to fulfill an oath made with righteous intentions, and the oath they made then was the strongest ever. What power could possibly break the promise of the gods?" Zelda asked him, a tone of panic arising in her voice. It was unusual for Zelda to show any sign of fear, lest it be the most serious situation. The mere fact that she was afraid meant that doom was near at hand. This knowledge showed on Link's face for a brief moment, and he quickly covered it up with perplexity.

"I don't know, but there's only one place where we'll find answers. We have to go to the Temple of Time and look for clues. Perhaps the gods left some sort of warning inscribed on the altar." He suggested.

"I don't recall ever hearing of anything like this in the prophecies, but it's worth a search." The two hurried off to the temple, just beyond the entrance to the castle grounds.

The temple itself was a sign of the power of the gods. It stretched toward the heavens and only seemed to end when the spires met the clouds high above the earth. The stained glass window above the entrance depicted the three goddesses, Farore, Din, and Nayru, departing Hyrule, their tasks completed, and leaving the Triforce behind them. The structure seemed to radiate the power of the Triforce itself. As the townsfolk gazed at its beauty, they marveled at how they were blessed to possess such a beautiful temple within their town. The Temple of Time was a beloved treasure that belonged to all of Hyrule. Many traveled to Hyrule Castle Town just to let their eyes feast on the divinity of it. The steps leading up to the oak doors were white marble, and they shined in the sunlight, reflecting nature's light onto the children as they passed through the doors, and into the sacred chamber within.


	2. Chaos in the Temple

What was magnificent about the temple was not only the outside, but the inner chambers as well. The red carpet that stretched from the stairs to the altar, the one that would house the three spiritual stones when they were assembled, was kept as clean as possible by the caretaker. Great care was taken not to disturb the sanctity of the hall, for it was from here that the inner chamber could be accessed. Only by gathering the three spiritual stones could the Door of Time be opened and the Master Sword revealed. Only one person had yet succeeded in seeing the ancient blade after gathering the stones, and he was now back within the walls of the temple, searching for the cause of his nightmares. The scene inside the temple, however, only added to those nightmares.

The great altar was split, and the two halves lay on either side of the great hall. The stairs leading to the door of time were no more, a gap lay in their place and the wall was crumbling where the Door of Time had once lain dormant. The Door itself was not present, only a pile of small rocks at the far end of the gap. No other part of the temple had been defiled, only the most sacred locations.

"No, it cannot be…the Door has been destroyed and the altar itself is broken! There is no power familiar to me, not even Ganondorf, who could do such a thing. Some new force is present here, something that could easily destroy this world if it is not stopped." Zelda whispered, breathless at the scene of chaos that now filled her vision. Memories of an age gone by flooded her mind, and she envisioned herself here, older, handing over the light arrows to the boy beside her, only to have been trapped by the sorcerer they meant to confront.

Link looked around the floor, desperate for any sign of what had happened, any clue as to what had torn apart the beloved interior of the temple. As he searched, Navi relinquished her hiding place in his hat and made her own efforts to solve the mystery. Zelda only kneeled in place, frozen in horror of what had happened to her treasure. Navi rang out a cry of surprise and rushed to the far corner, near one half of the broken altar. A man lay there, covered in dust and nearly buried by debris, living the last moments of his life. It was none other than the caretaker of the old temple, caught up in the attack while he was cleaning.

"What happened?" Link hurried to ask before the man's life was spent. He was anxious to know why the foe he had vanquished after so much toil had escaped an impenetrable bond.

"A man…dressed in blue. He…barged in and demanded to let me see the altar. I could feel he was…evil so I denied him access to the chamber. He grew angry, and unleashed a power I've never felt." The man's voice was barely a whisper; it seemed he only had a few moments to live. "The next thing I knew…he was blasting the place apart, the altar destroyed, the sacred Door blown to bits…" He was pained to relive the moments when his beloved temple was desecrated.

"Who was the man, what did he look like?" Link pressed the question upon the poor man.

"He wore…blue clothes, with a strip of cloth over the bottom…half of his face. An unusual hat sat on his head. That was all I noticed…before he attacked." The caretaker breathed a deep breath, and almost seemed to die right then, but not before his last words were heard.

"He attacked, and I thought that I could hear the angels. I…heard a harp being played, and I thought I had already passed on…but it was only that fiend casting some spell…" This time the old man was really gone, lost to his injuries.

"A harp, who…?" Zelda began to ask, but was cut off as Link ran to the gap where the stairs had once been. He peered into the chamber which housed the Master Sword. As he failed to find what he sought, the look in his eyes grew more fearful then Zelda had ever seen in his expression before, more so than when he had faced down Ganon to save her.

"The Master Sword is gone, and the pedestal as well." He said shakily, not at all like himself.

"There's no way anyone could do anything like this, the power of the gods prevents anything of this sort to happen! No one could challenge their power and succeed…" Zelda stuttered, searching for an explanation. Link found it.

"Zelda, do you recall…before Ganondorf was defeated, the shape you took to hide yourself from him, the form of the Sheikah?" Link inquired of the young princess.

"Yes but what does that have to do with any…no…it can't be!" She exclaimed, her hands clasped to her mouth in terror.

"Blue clothes, a harp, an unusual hat, and a strip of cloth over the bottom half of his face. Somehow Sheik was stripped from you and now he has set Ganondorf free and nearly destroyed the Temple of Time." His tone was almost accusatory of Zelda, but she either did not notice or ignored it as she responded.

"That's impossible, I _was_ Sheik! How can I be split from myself?"


	3. A Familiar Evil

The sun was setting in Gerudo Valley. Shadows played over much of the landscape, turning the desert town into even more of a desolate locale than anything else. But much was missing from the quiet area, and the absence made for an eerie scene indeed. There were no shouts from the guards, no stamping of feet, and no sounds of metal clinking as the female warriors trained. Where also was the sound of prisoners begging for mercy and the cry of vultures as they circled high above the desert's victims? There was nothing to be heard, nothing to be seen. Instead, the sights of destruction were all that filled one's eyes as they looked on the horror story unfolding before them.

The bodies of countless Gerudos were lying on the ground in heaps, their weapons beneath them, as if some unmatched foe had wiped them all out with one mighty blow. Not one woman survived the slaughter, not one warrior remained standing, save one. But this warrior was not of the Gerudo race, although his companion, albeit a man, seemed to be. So why then did they invade the sanctity of the Gerudo Fortress? Only the laughter, resounding across the disturbing landscape, could give an answer.

Ganondorf was laughing as he had not laughed in centuries. No longer was he bound to the sacred realm of Hyrule, no longer was he imprisoned by the Master Sword, and no longer did the gods keep watch over him.

"I've forgotten how good it feels to be free, and back in my homeland yet. But there is one thing I must know, how was it that you set me free from my blasted prison? How was it that you, considering your history, would have the power to break the bonds set by the gods to keep me from escaping into the world?" Ganondorf inquired of his shadowy comrade. His companion was standing against the opposite wall completely veiled by darkness. There was not one detail on his face, that Ganondorf could see, that showed the slightest interest in his question.

"Anything can be done assuming the correct prerequisites have been met. All that was necessary was that I acquired the…tools…I needed to set you free. Releasing you was only the first phase of my plan to destroy this world once and for all. I merely needed your assistance in throwing those fools off course: thinking you had escaped to destroy Hyrule yourself should keep the "heroes" busy for a while." The man said. The voice with which he spoke roused an anger within Ganondorf, for it was a voice similar, yet obviously more masculine, of the very person who had opened his prison and trapped him inside, supposedly for eternity: Princess Zelda.

"Tell me this then, how is it that you separated yourself from the wretched Princess? How is it that you two became separate beings when at one point you were the same?" Ganondorf asked.

"That does not matter now. What matters is securing the second artifact for my plan. I already have the ocarina of time, now I need something that will secure my victory over all who would oppose me. I will return. You however will stay right where you are, I do not need you to mess up my plan." The man replied.

"You are going nowhere without telling me all I want to know!" Ganondorf shouted, his entity seeming to fill the entire room as he raged, "I am the king of darkness and as such I will not be denied!"

"You may be the king of darkness Ganondorf, but I am the one who released you from your bondage and I could easily be the one who set you back forever. My word will be the one we follow, but if you should disobey, things could become rather, painful for you…"

He glanced over at the table where the Master Sword lay. It began to rise and level itself straight at Ganondorf's chest. Suddenly, the blade shot forward and stopped just short of running Ganondorf through, although the very tip of the blade pierced his armor and reached his bare flesh. It was pain beyond pain, for the sword was such a pure item, and Ganondorf such a foul person, that the very touch of the blade caused agony beyond description for the evil king, and he cried out in pain as the blade dug a bit deeper. It stopped just as suddenly as it had begun, and Ganondorf slumped against the wall, gasping for breath while clutching the spot where the blade had made contact.

"As I said, I am in charge here. I shall return. Until then, try not to do anything stupid." The man disappeared in a flash as Ganondorf pounded the table in anger, swearing his revenge.


	4. A Lost Past

There was a scent of rain in the air now. Ever since the two witnessed the destruction in the temple of time, Link and Zelda had noticed a change in the weather. It always seemed to threaten rain, and no more did the sun show its face from underneath the blanket of clouds. The weather, however, was the least of their worries. From the small courtyard outside Hyrule Castle, the duo pondered the dire situation and how to go about ending it. Options were running short.

"If Ganondorf is as strong as we think, then I don't think that even the light arrows will help us now. But Sheik is a different story. I think that if we took Sheik on instead of Ganondorf it would…I don't know…weaken Ganondorf somehow." Link said, pacing in front of Zelda as he had done for the past hour as they contemplated Hyrule's current predicament. Zelda's face was lost in deep thought as was Link's. They needed to come up with something fast.

"We need someone wise to help. Someone who has been in existence for ages. Someone who can come up with a solution as though they've been working on it forever. A guardian for all life, the protector of nature and life itself. We need the Great Deku Tree." Zelda concluded, looking rather proud of herself thinking of the forest guardian so quickly. But Link already had a problem.

"The Great Deku Tree withered just before I left the forest. There is no chance of contacting him anymore, now that he's…gone…" He replied, but instead of looking crestfallen, a look of discovery played across the hero's face.

"Saria! She's spent most of her time listening to the Great Deku Tree's stories about ancient Hyrule. Surely Saria knows almost as much as the Deku Tree did! We need to go to the Kokiri's Forest right away." Link told Zelda. She smiled at him and readied herself to leave, relieved that they'd at last found someone who could help them.

"And where have you been all this time, Sheik? Were you doing anything important or were you merely hiding from me?" Ganondorf boomed at Sheik as he appeared in front of him, having finally returned after the incident with the Master Sword. He had not told Ganondorf where he had gone, something the Evil King resented.

"Always inquisitive aren't you? One to question and never be questioned, Ganondorf? I suppose it will not hurt to tell you where I've been." He paused for a moment, as if deciding what he should and should not tell Ganondorf, then continued. "Certainly you know that the would-be heroes would not think of challenging us unless they received advice from another? I have been searching for possible sources of information and…doing away with them. I had already destroyed the Gorons and the Zoras, a bit of lava and some ice did nicely, and have just been out dealing with the Kokiris. They were easy prey, convinced that if they begged for their lives then I would actually spare them! They are all dead, as is the sprout growing in the Deku Tree's field. From him I received a certain stone that will allow me to complete my plans," Sheik finished and looked triumphant and more maniacal than ever. Ganondorf actually looked afraid, but Sheik noticed and said,

"Coward! Shrinking before me when you should be honored to be in my presence! I released you and you show neither gratitude nor joy that you are free!" Sheik yelled at the King.

"I have been wondering while you were gone, Sheik, of how I am to assist in your plan? What was your purpose in setting me free if it seems you already have enough power to do everything yourself? Why have you not allowed me to leave and destroy the boy and girl myself?" Ganondorf asked. Sheik merely laughed and replied,

"I have a more worthy task appointed to you Ganondorf, just you wait and see. In time, you will have the power to conquer all and cover this land in darkness forever! I, however, must succeed in my plan first in order for you to rise." Sheik finished and walked off, leaving Ganondorf puzzled by the man's cryptic message.


	5. Confronting the Enemy

Link already knew something was wrong the second he stepped onto the bridge leading from the field to the Kokiri's Forest. There was a sense of fear, destruction, and terror that washed over him as he slowly crept over the bridge with Zelda close behind. A sense of foreboding was in the air, and Link motioned to Zelda to stop where she was.

"Stay here, it may be dangerous ahead. I'll go on and meet you back here if it's safe to come in," Link said while drawing his sword and placing his shield in front of him. Zelda nodded as he walked forward through the passageway into his homeland. What met him inside was nothing he could have prepared for. His sword fell to the ground with a clatter and his shield dropped in amazement and despair.

Everything was aflame. Mido's house, the trees, his own house, everything was burning. Looking around, he only saw bodies lying in the dirt. Most were facedown, but those that weren't showed signs of terror frozen on their lifeless faces. Link slowly walked forward into the carnage, hoping against hope that he would see Saria still alive amongst so much death, and his hope dwindled as he saw her dwelling, or what was left of it, ahead and burning as well. Link stood staring at it for a moment, and then sank to his knees, tears welling up in his eyes. His home, his link to the past, was gone. Here he had endured endless teasing by Mido for not having his own fairy, fights started by his own determination to end the torture, and scolding by Saria for having started them and not just walking away from Mido.

He wished, while he lived here, that all the teasing, all the scolding, all the pain would go away. But now, with everything gone, he'd take all the torture life could give him to get all his friends back. Navi flew out from under Link's hat to comfort the hero, her wings folded in sorrow. Link stood up, gathered some twigs and a large stone from the quarry, and made an honorary grave for the fallen Kokiris, the only family he had ever known. After his task was finished he looked back, bowed, and turned to leave.

As he left the forest, Link's thoughts were of only one thing: vengeance. He wanted revenge on Ganondorf and whomever he worked with for this insanity. He wanted to kill him and torture him the way he'd killed all of Link's family and friends. He barely noticed Zelda on the return across the bridge and when she questioned him as to what was wrong, he only kept walking, struggling to keep himself from crying in front of her. The last thing he needed was to break down in front of the person who needed his strength. After walking in silence across Hyrule field for some time, finally it was Link who broke the silence.

"We need to find Ganondorf now. We need to end this madness quickly, before anyone else gets hurt. We need to finish this once and for all before the world is destroyed. The Kokiris were only the first victims; if we leave Ganondorf unchecked there will be more; perhaps there already have been. Whatever the case, he needs to pay for his crimes, him and his companion." Link said, so quietly that Zelda had to struggle to hear him. She was shocked at the mention of the Kokiris being victims of Ganondorf, but she chose not to mention it, for she knew that the loss had devastated Link greatly. When Zelda spoke it was in a hushed voice.

"We should search the Gerudo valley. That area is where Ganondorf came from and it's most likely where he has set up his base, along with whoever set him free. We can head there and try to think up a plan, despite not having spoken to anyone" She said, glancing anxiously at her anguished friend. Link only nodded and they set off together westward for the home of the Gerudos.

When the duo arrived at the great Gerudo Fortress they were horrified at the carnage before them. They saw the fallen Gerudos; the twisted mutilations manifested in re-deads, and heard the slow, mournful wails of the zombie-like creatures. Link and Zelda were awestruck that Ganondorf could do such things to two proud races, the Kokiri and the Gerudo. Little did they know however that Sheik had done the same to the Gorons and the Zoras. They were alone in their struggle to end the madman's bloodlust. They had no idea of what they were to face, but they knew that they could not fail.

"How could he? The Gerudos didn't deserve this, no one did! He's a horrible man to have killed so many innocents! He needs to be stopped before he hurts anyone else!" Zelda wailed, fury rising within her as she witnessed the atrocities lain out in front of her. She was answered by laughter, loud, booming laughter that seemed to come from everywhere at once. A flash of light announced the arrival of two men in midair, both of them familiar, though only one expected.

Ganondorf was there of course, but the other man was one they were shocked to see. The idea that Sheik had been separated from Zelda had been dismissed after a fierce debate between Zelda and Link, but there was no doubt now that the former had been correct in his accusations: Sheik was very much alive and right in front of them.

"Surprised to see me, princess? I suppose I should thank you for creating me and using me as a disguise for so long. Your powers nourished me well, and I have grown powerful indeed. As you can see, no race is a match for my powers," Sheik gestured to the slain women lying before them all and laughed a high-pitched laugh that did not suit his low, menacing voice.

"You monster, how could you do this just to get to us? If it was us you wanted then you should have come for us from the start instead of slaughtering countless innocent people!" Zelda yelled at Sheik, who only continued to laugh as she spoke.

"Ah, but I want so much more than the two of you; as you will see in time. But for now, I will be satisfied with killing the Hero beside you. His death would mean so much to my friend here so I think it best that we get started. Shall we?" He looked at Link as he spoke these last words and Link only glared in response, nodding slowly, and drew his sword and raised his shield in preparation for the battle ahead.

"No no no, not here. This area is much too cluttered with all these useless bodies. Let's go somewhere more…interesting." Sheik snapped his fingers and they were instantly transported. Death mountain crater surrounded them now, and a long fall into the lava below was what awaited the loser.


	6. The Battle

Link and Sheik, the two combatants, were instantly surrounded by a ring of bright flame, keeping Zelda and Ganondorf, and their magic, out of the fray. Link readied himself and Sheik flexed his fingers, as though itching to place them around the throat of the Hero of Time.

Immediately Link ran at Sheik, his Kokiri sword poised to strike, but Sheik was ready. He jumped into the air and came down with a blow that, had it connected, would have broken Link's spine, killing him instantly. But Link had rolled to the side at the last second and the blow struck the ground. Link responded with a horizontal slash intended to wound Sheik's knees, crippling him, but Sheik leapt backward in a handspring and prepared to send his fists into Link's torso. Link sidestepped the blow and brought his sword down to cleave Sheik in two but was nearly struck instead by Sheik's right foot which had swung around to deliver a blow to Link's head. Link ducked and did a back flip to get some distance between him and his opponent, then jumped forward with his sword above his head, ready to bring it down, but a well-aimed kick by Sheik sent Link toppling backward.

The blow momentarily knocked the wind out of Link and Sheik took advantage of the moment and ran at him, gleaming steel spikes in his clenched fist yearning to sink themselves into Link's neck, and swiped at the stunned hero. Link recovered just in time and swung his sword upward in a counter slash that caught Sheik in his right shoulder. The spikes dropped to the ground in a pile at Sheik's feet and Link spin kicked his opponent backward. Link then leaped into the air and brought his sword down in the place where Sheik's head would have been had he not rolled aside to dodge the attack. He countered by spinning on his hands, twirling his feet around in the air around him, and caught Link in the head, dazing him as he fell.

Outside the ring, Zelda was anxiously watching the fight, willing Link to get up and keep fighting and mentally cheering for him. Ganondorf felt empowered by the fight and his strength soared as he watched his nemesis take a severe beating. He laughed out loud and yelled in amusement as his companion knocked around his worst enemy like a rag doll.

Link stood up and placed his sword behind his back, pointing away from him, in preparation for Sheik's next assault. Sheik promptly ran again at Link and, anticipating another aerial attack, stopped abruptly and waited for his opponent to do as he planned. Link, however, left foot firmly planted on the ground, spun quickly in a blazing spin attack that slashed Sheik's chest as his blade danced around him. The attack did more damage to Sheik than Link had thought it would. In fact, the man seemed to be weakening with every passing second the battle lasted. If he could just keep Sheik from doing too much damage, Link could win!

Sheik rose to release a fury of attacks at Link, but Link, instead of counterattacking, merely dodged them all. He hoped to wear Sheik down enough so that the man couldn't keep up the fight. It seemed to be working, Sheik was slowing down. After several more minutes of failed attacks made by Sheik, he fell to one knee, gasping for breath. Link stood facing him, both his sword and shield lowered, and waited for Sheik to admit defeat. He was shocked to hear Sheik laughing.

"You have no idea…what you've brought upon this world by fighting me," Sheik said between ragged breaths. "This world is doomed now…because of your righteousness. Because of your need for vengeance, your thirst…for my death, Hyrule is doomed! My powers have not diminished for nothing, they were being…transferred. Ha ha ha…" Sheik laughed. Link ran forward and seized Sheik's robes and forced his head to his own.

"What are you talking about? Who were your powers transferred to?!" Link yelled, shaking Sheik as he did so.

"Heh heh heh…you think I freed Ganondorf for nothing? My powers have been going to him since I acquired the Deku Stone from that weak little sprout…you fool. I needed to free Ganondorf to complete the destruction of Hyrule…but first I needed to destroy the Gorons…and the Zoras as well…the Gerudos were also…unnecessary," Sheik's voice was growing fainter as he spoke. "Now there is only one thing left to do…" Sheik raised a hand to the outside of the ring and pointed at Ganondorf.

"What are you doing you fool? Why destroy me if you have reinforced my powers? What was the point of it all?!" Ganondorf demanded of the dying man. Sheik responded weakly,

"The time has not yet come…" The energy building in his hand shot at Ganondorf. A blinding flash cause Link and Zelda to look away, and when they looked back Ganondorf was encased in crystal, frozen, and defeated. Sheik waved his hand and the prison flew into the lava below them and vanished from sight. It was Sheik's last action, as he fell to the ground dead in a heap at Link's feet.

"The fool, why would he kill Ganondorf just as he himself was about to die?" Zelda asked, a hint of amusement in her voice.

"I don't suppose it matters now, they're both gone and Hyrule is safe," He responded. They both left the crater and headed for Hyrule Castle.


	7. Saying Goodbye

As Link and Zelda returned to the castle, they discussed the fates of the Gorons and Zoras, as well as the fallen Kokiris. They carried with them the treasures that Sheik had stolen and hidden in the Gerudo's Fortress: The Ocarina of Time, the Master Sword, and the spiritual stones under the cloaks they had taken from the empty fortress. It had not stopped raining since Sheik had been defeated.

"There's nothing we can do. They're gone and we can't bring them back. As much as I wish we could bring back Darunia, Ruto, Saria and the others, what Sheik did cannot be undone," Link said in resignation. He was slowly starting to accept the Kokiris' demise and was recovering from his battle with Sheik.

"At least let us return the stolen items to their rightful place inside the Temple of Time," Zelda suggested. "We can deal with the consequences of Sheik's return after that."

The inside of the Temple of Time had been restored, thanks to Zelda's magic, and the door of time opened to welcome the return of the sword it was destined to hide. It closed behind them and remained closed, even after the spiritual stones were replaced within the altar. Zelda turned to speak to Link and was surprised to see a sad expression on the hero's face. Why, just minutes ago the hero was happy to be alive, and now he looked downright depressed!

"What is it Link? What's wrong?" Zelda asked her friend, whose head was hanging.

"I have to leave. I can't explain why, but I have to. Something is telling me to leave Hyrule, but I can't explain what it is," he paused to look up at Zelda. "There's this nagging feeling in my head that keeps telling me that there is more I must do, more people I have to help, beyond Hyrule's borders. The feeling has long been eating at my mind, and I can't ignore it anymore. I have to leave, Zelda." He finished and took her hand between his. Zelda looked absolutely devastated. Her land had been saved, only to have the man who had saved it leave? Her eyes filled with tears as she spoke.

"Is there any way to convince you to stay?" She asked, though she already knew the answer.

"No, I'm sorry. It has to be done Zelda. I can't stay any longer. I'm going to go to Lon Lon Ranch and ask to borrow Epona from Malin, and then I'm leaving through the Lost Woods," He responded solemnly. Zelda looked ready to burst with grief.

"Then take this with you," She pressed the Ocarina of Time into Link's hands. "It will help you. Remember me when you play it."

"Zelda, I can't take this, it belongs in the castle," He returned the instrument to her hands and she took it and raised it to her lips. Slowly, almost mournfully, she played the song of time. Three times she played the melody, then pushed the ocarina back into Link's hands and quickly withdrew her own. Link knew that this time she would not take it back and kept it.

"Thank you, I will not forget you. Whenever I play the song of time, or any song, I will remember your face, I promise," Link said to her, and they embraced one last time. Zelda placed a kiss on Link's cheek as he turned to leave. He had reached the door to the temple when he looked over his shoulder and said,

"I will return."

He hurried out of the temple without another word.


	8. The Warning

Many years passed. Hyrule recovered from the devastation brought on by Sheik and his devious plans to attempt to destroy the land. Humans built settlements in areas once inhabited by the Gorons, Zoras, and Kokiris, and they prospered there and lived peacefully. The rain had eventually stopped, but it had continued for some time after Link's departure. The rain had threatened to drown Hyrule entirely, but at long last the downpour ended and sunshine at last flowed from behind the clouds. Zelda had not married but continued to dwell in the castle with her father and the rest of the court, and every day she remembered her friend.

It was twenty years to the day that Link had left Hyrule, vowing to return. Zelda did not doubt the word of her companion and she waited faithfully for her hero to come back to her. She sat outside in the courtyard every day, watching for him, and whenever footsteps were heard on the grass she would jump up in excitement, but it would only be a guard or her father coming to check up on her or to try to cheer her up. But Zelda had been inconsolable since Link's departure. She rarely ever smiled, save when she thought of him, and only laughed when she forced herself to. When she did, it sounded false and hollow, not at all like Zelda.

One day, about a year ago, she had been sitting in the courtyard when suddenly, the triforce upon her left hand glowed and illuminated the area around her. She hoped it meant that Link had returned, but the glow was soon followed by incredible pain. It circulated through her entire body like electricity and struck her every nerve. She cried out, which alerted every guard around her to her anguish. Her father rushed to her side as she fainted. She had been carried inside to her bedroom, examined by royal nurses…and reported to be completely healthy. No one could discover the source of the pain the princess had received.

Zelda tried not to be disturbed by the pain and the glow of the triforce, but she could not help but think it ominous. Had Link met with an ill fate? Had her hero finally met his match in battle and been conquered by it? Or had the triforce been pointing to another being bound by its magic? Zelda had not forgotten that Ganondorf was also connected to her through the mystical relic and she worried that the pain she suffered was somehow related to the evil king. Was he returning somehow from death? She had watched as Sheik threw the crystal containing Ganondorf into Death Mountain's crater twenty years ago. It wasn't possible that he could return from that. But still, the pain…

She could consult her father, but he would not understand about the triforce and its effect on those it chose to inhabit. He wouldn't understand it like Zelda did. She had only told one other person about every feeling the triforce gave her, and that was Impa. She remembered her attendant fondly. After Link left, it was Impa who had comforted Zelda and convinced her to leave her chambers after days of seclusion. She wished that she could still talk with Impa, but she had long since passed away. A year or two after Link's departure she had become deathly ill with a mysterious sickness after returning from the Lost Woods. Zelda had sent her to try to pick up Link's trail but to no avail. The fever could not be broken by anything the royal nurses could come up with, so the king sent for a potion from the witch in Kakariko Village, but too late. Before the potion could be retrieved, Impa passed away before Zelda's eyes. Her only connection to Link was gone.

Sadly, she looked up into the sky above where she knew the Kokiri's forest was and thought of her last talk with Link. He had not even really explained why he had to leave; only that it was nagging at him and he couldn't avoid it any longer. Was it something Zelda had done? Was it grief that he could not save Saria and everyone else who had died?

"Why did you have to leave me? Why did you not stay here? Why?!" She screamed to no one, and fell to the ground sobbing. After she continued in this way for some time, she collected herself and ventured inside. Before she had entered the castle, a voice hailed from the entrance to the courtyard.

"Hail, princess Zelda! I have come bearing news for your ears to receive," a woman's voice said from underneath a cloak. The voice sounded deeply aged. Zelda turned upon hearing the voice and, when she found its source, questioned it fiercely.

"How did you get past the guards? Who are you?" She asked, attempting to peer under the cloak. She didn't need to try for long however, because the figure dropped the hood to stare at her. The face of an extremely old woman greeted her. Her nose was wide and long, her white hair was bound by a decorative headband and her eyes were oddly large for her head.

"My name is Koume and as I said I have come to deliver a message for you, my dear," The woman continued with a hint of bitterness in her tone.

"I'm listening," Zelda responded.

The woman's cloak burst out from her figure and a broom appeared underneath her frame. She cackled and gave her message to the startled princess.

"The flame of sorrow burns brightly! That which you fear has come to pass and the evil king is revived! The Hero will not return to face his foe! Every being shall be destroyed under the evil king's gaze gaze! The flame of sorrow burns brightly!"

The witch cackled once more and disappeared in a flash of purple light and an eerie silence settled over the courtyard. Zelda stood stunned at her message, but fear quickly replaced her surprise.

"The evil king? But how?"


	9. The End of Hyrule

Zelda ran inside to report the witch's message to her father. She ran throughout the castle but could not find him. Finally she turned to a guard and inquired as to her father's whereabouts.

"He has gone to the Temple of Time on an errand milady, shall I tell him you wish to see him when he returns?" Zelda did not wait to give a response and instead hurried away from the guard. "Wait, milady! It is too dangerous to go outdoors! The rains are too fierce! Milady!" But Zelda was already gone from the castle.

Outside, the rain had indeed started again. It rivaled that of twenty years ago with its torrential downpours. In just the short time between her running inside and coming back out again, the rain had reached an alarming level. Already it seemed that Hyrule was drowning: Zelda had to actually wade through Hyrule Castle Town to get to the Temple of Time. She headed for the Temple as quickly as she could. Once she reached the doors she burst through them and found her father at the altar. It seemed as if he were praying.

"Father! I need to tell you something important!" Zelda called to the king, who remained in his position of prayer. She hurried up to him and ran in front of him so he would have to answer her. She had every intention of screaming at her father to answer her when she paused. The look on her father's face was odd. He looked thoughtful, but at the same time fearful.

"Father?" She asked of the king.

"My dear, doom is coming to this kingdom. The evil king has been attacking my thoughts for a long time. I have come here to pray, along with several nobles from various villages, many times before now. We have prayed for the Hero of Time to return but it seems that he will not. We have prayed every day for two years for his return, but nothing. I do not know what more I can do. Ganondorf has returned. He has not regained all of his former strength but he is growing more powerful everyday. If he is not stopped, then Hyrule will be destroyed." The king told his daughter, who stood in amazement at her father's words. He had known what she was going to say before the words came out of her.

"But, father…" Zelda began, but she did not know what to say.

"I have left Hyrule's fate in the hands of the gods. They alone know what to do with Hyrule now that the Hero is no more. We have only to wait for the gods' decision." The king continued. Zelda looked absolutely terrified at the idea of the evil king destroying her beautiful homeland, but also looked defeated. She could find no alternate way, no other plan of action, which would bring down Ganondorf without Link's help. There was nothing anyone could do.

"Father, the torrential rains outside, would it have anything to do with the gods?" She inquired in a quiet voice.

"Yes. They have decided to drown Hyrule under heavy rains to seal the kingdom away for good. Ganondorf can no longer destroy it, nor can he reclaim the triforce from under the waves without the other two pieces. The Hero of Time retained his piece, but after he left it was torn from him and the pieces scattered across the kingdom. Your own was ripped from you and sent to another to guard it. You felt it leaving you on that day last year when you suffered your trauma. The gods will seal away this kingdom under the ocean. We have only to wait for our fates…" The king finished with a saddened look at his daughter, who shared a similar expression.

The two waited for the floods to consume them as they consumed all of Hyrule…


	10. A New Legend Begins

"This is but one of the legends of which the people speak…

Long ago, there existed a kingdom where a golden power lay hidden.

It was a prosperous land blessed with green forests, tall mountains, and peace.

But one day a man of great evil found the golden power and took it for himself…

With its strength at his command, he spread darkness across the kingdom.

But then, when all hope had died, and the hour of doom seemed at hand…

…a young boy clothed in green appeared as if from nowhere.

Wielding the blade of evil's bane, he sealed the evil one away and gave the land light.

This boy, who traveled through time to save the land, was known as the Hero of Time.

The boy's tale was passed down through generations until it became legend…

But then…a day came when a fell wind began to blow across the kingdom.

The great evil that all thought had been forever sealed away by the hero…

…once again crept forth from the depths of the earth, eager to resume its dark designs.

The people believed that the Hero of Time would again come to save them.

…But the hero did not appear.

Faced by an onslaught of evil, the people could do nothing but appeal to the gods.

In their last hour, as doom drew nigh, they left their future in the hands of fate.

What became of that kingdom…?

None remain who know.

The memory of the kingdom vanished, but its legend survived on the wind's breath." The Legend of Zelda, The Wind Waker


End file.
